Attitude Problems
by Cloudedhazeleyes
Summary: Squirrelkit is a sassy, violent, easily angered little kit, but can a stuttering medicine cat teach him to behave?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! If you know me, I've published two stories before- one is a rant and the other is a trollfic. This will be my first REAL fic. Thanks for reading! Also, I have a prophecy-making service up and running from the moment this story shows up.**

 **Example.**

 **Base Plot: Five cats with leaf-bare themed names will defeat an enemy with a name of fire.**

 **Prophecy: Leafbare's five icy claws will be the only thing strong enough to extinguish the burning flames among us.**

 **Alright! Now let's get started.**

"Will he be okay?" the russet cat pressed. "I care... I really, really do. Please keep him alive..."

The medicine cat pointed toward the tom with his tail. "Does he look like he will? Am I hanging on to his every breath and plastering him in cobwebs? No. Now leave us in peace before you worry the poor kit to death."

"Smallwhisker, I-"

Smallwhisker batted at the she-cat's chest. "I said, do not disturb." The tom went back to his business of sorting out herbs.

"Brightpaw, will you fetch me more comfrey? My stock's all withered."

A tricolor she-cat appeared out of the shadows, and her yellow eyes glowed in the half-light. "C-comfrey? Should I th-throw in some d-d-dock leaves? You seem to be ru-running low on it."

Smallwhisker blinked. "At this rate, you'll be the best medicine cat in Clan history!" His eyes shone with pride. "Go ahead. Since you're so good I'll even extract some mouse bile so you don't have to."

Brightpaw beamed. "T-thank you. I never knew I was t-this good." She bounded away, toward the herb farm.

* * *

Ginger paws boomed on the ground, scaring away any rabbits that happened to be nibbling on the p!ants. Brightpaw did that often, to reduce plant wear and tear. She sat down for a minute, placing her head on her paws. "Th-thank you StarClan, for.. for providing us a p-place to f-f-farm our... our herbs, and thank y-you, Brindles-s-seed for t-teaching us how to plant herbs any... anywhere."

Brightpaw gingerly plucked several comfrey and dock leaves, and held them in her jaws. She set out back to the medicine cat's den. She couldn't believe old Smallwhisker was doing an apprentice task for her!

* * *

"Brightpaw! You've arrived just in time, Harekit is waking up," Smallwhisker announced. "Go tell Ambertail, she'll be thrilled." Smallwhisker could sense the self-consciousness of her gaze. "Don't worry about your stutter. Ambertail doesn't mind that you have it. All she cares about is that her son survives a bit of roughhousing," he joked.

Brightpaw sighed. "All right... But you know that her Squirrelkit can be pretty mean. He is the one who hurt Harekit after all."

"Kits' opinions don't matter when it comes to your voice!" the medicine cat snapped.

"O-okay, okay," muttered Brightpaw.

"What's all this about voices?" A new, younger voice sounded. "What happened to me?"

Brightpaw snapped around, only to see the formerly limp brown figure standing upright with tired, yet bright eyes. "H-harekit!" she exclaimed. "I-i-i was just about to t-tell your mom that y-you're awa-awake." Brightpaw flashed a warm gaze at the young tom. "W-w-why don't y-you tell her inst-st-stead of I? It'll be f-fun- plus A-ambertail will probably give you f-f-f-first choice on w-which prey y-y-y-you w-want to eat."

"Hmm. You're just trying to get out of making eye contact with one of the most judgemental kits in history. I don't blame you, but I've let you off so many times before," Smallwhisker scolded. "Besides, it'll be a learning experience. And the more learning experiences, the faster you become a full medicine cat."

Brightpaw sighed dramatically. _"F-FINE,"_ the yellow-eyed cat replied. "I'll g-g-go."

"Good. Now, Silversoul has a cough, and I need to heal it. Go before I take back my promise about extracting the mouse bile."

That seemed to get Brightpaw going, as she disappeared seconds after the sentence was finished.

* * *

"Um, h-hey," Brightpaw said. She tried to act naturally and casually. "H-harek-k-kit is awake... Why d-don't you s-see him? He's all up and r-r-running," Brightpaw told the worried queen.

Ambertail stared at her harshly. "He's WHAT?"

Brightpaw realized her mistake. "Y-you know... up and ru-running... figuratively..." The queen would practically die if she found out her precious kit wasn't taking it easy!

"Don't you dare scare me like that again," Ambertail grumbled. "Speaking of, Squirrelkit? Please apologize to poor Harekit! You hurt him! No playing rough anymore, he could have DIED."

Squirrelkit whined. 'Do I have to? It was an accident!"

"Accidents are still things that can be deadly, and things you need to apologize for. Now go with Brightpaw," Ambertail snapped.

Brightpaw's eyes flashed with an emotion even she couldn't decipher.

Squirrelkit sighed and he glumly trod beside Brightpaw. It was a horrible day.

* * *

 **WindClan**

Leader: Sagestar- brown tabby tom with white paws and tail tip, blue eyes, and a scar down his chest.

Deputy: Specklelegs- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, long legs

Medicine Cat: Smallwhisker- small white tom with black whiskers and yellow eyes

Apprentice, Brightpaw

Warriors 

Nightstrike: black tom with amber eyes and a split ear

Bluetail: gray tom with amber eyes

Swiftwater: gray tabby she-cat with a white muzzle, chest, belly, and legs; green eyes

Flamefoot: ginger tabby tom with a white chest and yellow eyes

Ripplesong: gray ticked tabby she-cat with black paws and green eyes

Lilystripe: white she-cat with orange tabby spots; amber eyes

Runningpelt: brown ticked tabby tom with blue eyes; father of Squirrelkit and Harekit

Darkpool: black tom with watery blue eyes; white locket on chest

Apprentices

Pebblepaw: Calico she-cat with amber eyes

Flarepaw: Ginger ticked tabby tom with green eyes

Berrypaw: Bright ginger she-cat with a white belly and green eyes

Brightpaw: Calico she-cat with yellow eyes

Queens and Kits:

Ambertail: overprotective russet tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Kits, Squirrelkit and Harekit

Poppystripe: Torbie she-cat with yellow eyes, heavily expecting

Elders:

Hazelheart: Brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes, graying muzzle, weak, expected to die soon

Silversoul: Black tom with a completely silver face from age; very cloudy blind amber eyes, an over-the-top storyteller

 **RiverClan**

Leader: Streamstar

Deputy: Sedgefall

Apprentice, Pinepaw

Medicine cat: Foxleaf

Warriors

Cherrystripe

Apprentice, Wolfpaw

Gingergaze

Apprentice, Tigerpaw

Pebblewings

Apprentice, Lionpaw

Mintslash

Apprentice, Bearpaw

Sandash

Lynxleaf

Apprentice, Rainpaw

Sorrelsong

Flashleaf

Apprentices

Wolfpaw

Tigerpaw

Lionpaw

Bearpaw

Rainpaw

Pinepaw

Queens

 _No Queens_

Elders

Mapleheart

 **ShadowClan**

Leader: Cloverstar

Deputy: Swiftthorn

Medicine cat: Darkfall

Apprentice, Honeypaw

Warriors 

Slatestone

Molenettle

Mousetalon

 **ThunderClan**

Leader: Duskstar

Deputy: Sunstep

Medicine Cat: Echofoot

Apprentice, Tallstripe

 **I'm too lazy to come up with a lot at one time... Probably editing this chapter later... R &R!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! Thanks for the positive reviews- they really keep me going! There was one bit of constructive criticism by a guest called CrescentViper that helped a lot. So far I like how this is going. To be honest, this was just a late-night idea that I thought of while staring at my eyelids. Have a cookie. (::)**

Squirrelkit lunged at an invisible enemy, blood dripping from his fangs and scarlet-stained claws unsheathed. His blazing yellow eyes were locked on a target that it seemed only he could see. But nonetheless, blood poured out of the unseen animal, and Squirrelkit showed no sign of stopping. He was about to leap at the thing when suddenly, Brightpaw appeared, with her worried eyes focused on Squirrelkit.

The brown tom-kit suddenly froze as if he had died right there with instant rigor mortis. He turned his head at the young calico for a fraction of a second, then scampered toward the nursery. All the blood, all the wounds, and all the anger, without any warning, disappeared.

" _This is your destiny..."_ the wind seemed to whisper.

* * *

Brightpaw's eyes fluttered open, the vividness of her dream still lingering in her mind. _What part of the dream is my destiny... or was the wind speaking to Squirrelkit?_ she pondered. _I probably shouldn't idle on it for too long, but I should still keep it in the back of my head. I'm certain it was an omen._

Her thoughts were interrupted by an annoyed Smallwhisker, who prodded at her with an outstretched paw. "Get out of that daze of yours- or do you not want to practice making a poultice today?"

"Oh, S-smallwhisker, it's n-n-nothing, I just had a r-really weird dream. C-can we start?" Her tone of voice became enthusiastic at the second sentence.

Smallwhisker nodded. "That dream might be important. Care to tell me?" he asked, absentmindedly checking herbs for quality.

"F-fine. S-squirrelkit was fighting an invisible... _thing-_ _s-s-savagely-_ and there was b-blood everywhere! Th-then I st- I stared at him, a-and all evidence th-there was a f-fight d-disappeared! Even the sc-sc-scowl on his face b-became an innocent sm-smile! He just r-rushed into the n-nursery like there was a t-t-time limit. Th-then the wind- it-it whispered in m-my ear, or his, or b-both of ours, and it s-s-said 'Th-this is your d-destiny...'!" Brightpaw babbled on. Her eyes were wide with fear. "W-what does it mean?"

Smallwhisker sat down, lost in thought. "Squirrel _kit?_ Was he kit-sized?"

"Y-yes, he l-looked exactly the s-size he is now," Brightpaw comfirmed. "Is th-that bad?"

The old medicine cat's eyes clouded."We may have to act soon."

* * *

 **Th-thanks for r-r-reading this ch-chapter! Oops, I was impersonating Brightpaw. Anyway, I'm going tyo summer camp for 9 days, and they don't allow electronics (let alone Wi-Fi.) I'll update by July 5th.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I had an** _interesting_ **experience at summer camp, and I'm very glad I'm back. PM me (review if you're a guest) if you want the full story. I don't want to bore readers with the details. Anyway, I'm sorry for the shortness and/or bad quality of the last chapter, my excuse is that I was in a rush.**

 **Oh my StarClan, I'm sorry that this chapter was published late... I've been busier than I thought I'd be, and getting more and more involved in the Warriors fandom.**

* * *

Brightpaw bristled. "I-i need to f-figure th-th-this out! Why isn't m-m-my b-brain working?" Her claws unsheathed for a moment, digging in the hard earth.

The white tom by the name of Smallwhisker's tail reached out to smooth her fur. "Have patience, Brightpaw," he mewed. "Even I can't exactly figure out what this dream means. And I may just be _the_ most experienced medicine cat in the Clans. All the rest are youngsters." He chuckled. "Visit the elders. I'll come too. We can put all our brainpower and experience together to figure it out!" His tone was bright. "I'll go ask Darkpool to take over. He used to train as a medicine cat, you know."

Brightpaw rose to her feet. "Let's go," she said, impatient.

Her mentor, surprisingly, was out of the den in a flash, Brightpaw was left in his dust, although she quickly zoomed after him.

* * *

"You have to see this," Smallwhisker said, his voice cracking. "Hazelheart."

Brightpaw peered in over her mentor's shoulder and her eyes widened in horror. Hazelheart was dead! "Wh-what h-h-h-happened? W-w-was sh-she p-p-poi-s-soned? S-sick? B-because I know sh-she only ju-ju-ju-ju-just moved to the e-e-elder's den this n-n-new-leaf," Brightpaw panicked.

"She refused to eat when she first entered the den because she 'was no longer useful'. As stubborn as she was, one cat could actually get her to eat at least once a day... and that cat was Molestar." Molestar was the previous leader, and Sagestar had only just received his nine lives last quarter moon.

"I g-g-g-got it... b-bu-but I'm still g-g-grieving for my-" Brightpaw lowered her voice to a whisper- "f-favorite elder."

"Here, I'll go in. You stay here just in case." Smallwhisker's voice was calm yet serious. His eyes were clearly duller than before, and Brightpaw could tell he was only trying to look level-headed. He was grieving deeply inside; Hazelheart had been a favorite in the Clan; and however much the other elder, Silversoul, wanted to believe he was the best, he was just too grumpy to make the cut.

"F-f-fine, then. B-but I want to t-t-tell the C-c-clan. Th-this is something e-e-e-e-e-every cat should kn-now about!" Brightpaw raised her voice, a trace of defensiveness in her mew. "Hazelheart r-really was popular."

Smallwhisker stifled a purr of amusement. "No. You stay here. It may just be the shadows, but I don't think Silversoul is in here." His tone grew serious. "There may be danger in the territory!"

"Or maybe S-s-silversoul wanted to t-take a walk to d-d-d-deal with the l-loss of his denmate. You never know," Brightpaw reasoned.

At that point, Smallwhisker was bursting with anger. "STAY. THERE. Stop trying to talk back. I am your elder, your mentor, the cat that you listen to," he barked.

"B-b-but-"

Before Brightpaw could say another word, Smallwhisker disappeared into the den. Feeling like a pile of crowfood, she sat down just beside the entrance and sulked. _I'm not a baby kit anymore. I know a few things, too. Aren't I smart? Or was Smallwhisker just lying yesterday?_

* * *

In what felt like 10 moons instead of 10 minutes, Smallwhisker emerged out of the elder's den, with Silversoul dragging his weary body behind him. Hazelheart was being carried in the medicine cat's jaws, ready to be treated with lavender and mint. "Brightpaw?" he called through a muffled mouth. "Help me carry Hazelheart."

Brightpaw did as she was told, and held the dead cat on the other side, so that her fur wouldn't be messed up by the ground. Her mood was still sour, though not as sour as before. However, she was glad that Silversoul was in there, his black pelt blending in with the darkness and silver face toward the wall. Hazelheart's death was a surprise to him, his blind eyes not seeing what had happened, plus, death by starvation was very subtle in terms of sound.

* * *

The burial ceremony was shorter than Brightpaw expected, although Hazelheart's last living kit, Nightstrike, stayed the longest. He had even picked a few wild lilies to put on top of her grave, which was beside a beautiful, old, twisted maple tree. Trees were rare in WindClan, so that made it extra special.

Thinking about elders made Brightpaw remember the real reason she and Smallwhisker went to the elder's den: to try to figure out the dream Brightpaw had had. Brightpaw decided to approach Silversoul about it.

"S-s-silversoul? I know you're still g-grieving for your d-d-d-denmate... but c-can you help me f-figure out this d-d-dream I had?" Her tone was hopeful. "It'll h-help you c-c-cope faster. Y-y-you'll have y-your mind off of her for a while."

Silversoul turned around to face Brightpaw, with eyes so focused on her, it made Brightpaw wonder if he could somehow see her right then.

"You think I'm lingering on a denmate I had for only a season? I still wasn't used to Hazelheart being here today!" His angry look faltered. "That doesn't mean I never grieved, though. It means it didn't take long to recover." He paused. "Well, I can help you with your dream. Let's talk about it."

Brightpaw looked around in the dark den for a comfortable spot to sit, and settled down in a corner that had a small depression in the ground.

"W-well..."

* * *

"T-T-Then the wind wh-whispered in my ear, 'T-t-this is your d-destiny', and th-then I woke up," Brightpaw explained. Her voice was shaky with fear.

Silversoul pondered for a long moment.

"Well, the only way to figure this out is to get even more information. We have to essentially spy on Squirrelkit, but I know it'll be worth it."

* * *

 **Woo! I hit 1,000 words! I killed off Hazelheart when I had writer's block and couldn't write about interpreting the dream just yet. As always, thanks for reading!**


End file.
